CITADEL

….And just like that, the city melts likes sugar, not from the beating sun but the dismal rain. 

Autumns officially in the air, sad but inevitable. So here's a quick glance back to warmer times! My partner in crime and I went to Citadel in London, a great escape and alternative to the more intense festivals out there. This one day debut took place on a Sunday, reflecting the relaxed vibes associated with the day of rest. Everybody seemed golden, meandering from stage to stage amongst the dusty grounds of Victoria Park; no neon fairies or neolithic cavemen drunkenly lowering the tone. Just happy, likeminded, beer loving, music folk. Communion might have something to do with that, the indie label curated their respective stage with artists we both knew and had seen before: Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Leon Bridges & Ben Howard; whilst also spicing up the mix with newbees for our ears with the likes of Tor Miller and Bear's Den to name a few. If the line-up wasn't enough to keep you chirpy, the vast mass of food stalls would make any indecisive person break out in a decision making sweat! Unable to realistically try everything we wanted to (Bleeker St. Burger, Not Dogs, Saucy Chip, The Duck Truck, The Cheese Truck, Voodoo Ray's, Bagel Boy) we choose wisely and snacked on Anna Mae's marvellous mac n' cheese! And with the Corona's long selling out, we washed down the day with cupfuls of cold Czech beer. Citadel was an inner city haven, a mini get-away from the bustle of London life,  they've definitely set the bar high for next year; here's hoping they'll smash it second time round.

- x M 

NORWAY ADVENTURES

I'm lucky enough to have Norway as my second home. My Dad's Norwegian and we have a little summer cabin south of Oslo nestled in the forest next to the sea, it's a pretty perfect combination. We've visited virtually every summer since I was born, so it's a really special place to escape to and relax with friends & family. As i've grown older I'm beginning to make my own migrations to the Cabin, sharing it with my partner in crime. During our stay in the summer we took a weekend trip to Oslo to visit my Aunt and explore the city, the weather was scorching, which made walking around and navigating the trams all the more enjoyable. Looking back at these photos, I can't wait to get back for our next visit! 

- x M

TOP DOG

Wondering through Soho on Saturday, contemplating where to fill our bellies full of food we came across this new hot dog joint - Top Dog! With hand-painted motorbike motifs, glossy helmets sunken into walls and a static bike the staff encourage you to mount and take shameless selfies on, make for a fun decor. There isn't many dedicated hot-dog places in central, Herman Ze German springs to mind but personally their toppings and side offering don't quite cut it for me! Top Dog's menu is more classic American with the choice of onion rings, fries, mac n' cheese, nachos etc. as sides! As well as a great beer offering, 2 for 1 mix and match! Whenever there are sweet potato fries on the menu it's a shoo-in we're ordering them, we also got the Soho dog & Chilli Cheese dog, both equally delicious especially paired with the steamed brioche buns! We left with a handful of Top Dog stickers to post around town, a definite revisit for a tasty quick feast! Give it a try next time you're passing by.

- x M 

HURRICANE OF CHANGE

Growing older must definitely have some sort of correlation with time running faster, because boy have these past months sped by. It feels like not so long ago (January!) I was getting a call from the ASOS Talent Team telling an overexcited, clammy handed me that I was successful in scoring a place on their year long internships. Almost two months in now and i'm feeling settled into the role as a Buyers Administrator, and i'm pretty sure the novelty of working for ASOS won't rub off any time soon! As a kid I was always worried about not enjoying the job I would end up doing, and I definitely dreaded that painful 10 hour shift of part time retail roles, where you're counting down the minutes and tactfully planning your lunch breaks to make the day feel that less longer! (But you have to start somewhere to get anywhere.) I'm definitely thanking my lucky stars that sometimes i'm too busy to stop for lunch and when 5:30 rolls around I don't want to leave! This year of interning i'm sure is going to disappear quicker than my saved items on ASOS when it's payday! Feel free to tune into my adventures here on ACC, or pop by and say hey on my Instagram! 

- x M

DEAREST DESERT

Wrapped up in layers, swamped by blankets and kept company by a trusty hot-water bottle, my attempts to stay cosy in the midst of this December weather is a winning formula. 

Soothing my winter sorrows with the sound of the soulful Swedish sisters Johanna and Klara from First Aid Kit filling my bedroom, a little oasis of folky desert dreaming is forming this evening, especially with the help of Caroline Mackintosh's 'Desert Star' shoot for Oyster Mag, leaving me longing for golden skin and freckles.

Stay 

Warm

.

WHAT THE FONT?

As tempting as joining the mayhem masses that descended on Oxford Street this Black Friday, I swiftly retreated to the V&A museum after my day of interning. The end of each month sees the V&A open its doors for free passage to anyone who fancies a nosy round the exhibitions. This 'Friday Late' was based around Typography 'exploring the secrets and charms that shape our much-loved fonts'. Events taking place throughout the evening included: dressing up as a letter to create words with other visitors as part of a typographic performance by Amandine Alessandra. A watery installation by Netta Peltola spelling 'stressed' whilst reflecting 'desserts' - two opposite emotions. As well as interactive workshops where you could design your own font using a mixture of crafty methods such as collaging random objects, ink block printing and using perforated punch cards, then having your curated alphabet photographed and processed ready to download for your own personal use. The busiest seemed to be the Typo Tattoo Studio where you could hand-letter your own temporary typographic tattoo with lettering artist Oli Frape. If you're ever stuck for something to do on a friday evening at the end of the month, I'd highly recommend checking out what the V&A are up to; it's free, there's art, a bar and a DJ… night sorted! 

If this little typography teaser got your tastebuds tingling.. check out these three blogs influencing the print and graphics scene at the moment. Guaranteed to provide you with hours of scrolling, my gift from one procrastinator to the next.  

TREND LIST - your go-to blog for typographic and poster design inspiration

THE JEALOUS CURATOR - an eclectic mix of art, photography, illustration and design

YONDR STUDIO - Inspired by Americana, Nathan Yonder's blog is filled with his hand-drawn illustrations and typography

Enjoy